In fields involving heavy loads, winding winch straps are an absolute necessity. However, as experienced by individuals in this field, rolling winch straps requires considerable effort. Most operators roll the straps manually which is repetitive and time consuming. The manual rolling of the straps can be both disadvantageous and dangerous. For instance, the manual winding of winch straps onto a winch may result in hand or finger lacerations from sharp edges on the winch hub. Furthermore, manual winding can also result in repetitive motion injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The time consuming nature of manually winding straps can result in loss of productivity and associated cost penalties that are disadvantageous in the industry. Even though previous devices address the issues at hand to some extent, these devices do not provide a practical solution. For instance, a tapered rubber plug which is attached to a drill needs constant force for the winding strap to roll continuously. Since the tapered rubber plugs deteriorate with time, the force that needs to be applied increases considerably. Ultimately, the rubber plug needs to be replaced. Another significant fault seen in most previous devices is that these devices have minimum connection with the receiving hub. When using a power tool such as a power drill or impact wrench, the minimal connection with the receiving hub poses noticeable risk to the operator, especially with a slippery surface.
A majority of the powered strap winding tools available in the market are limited to be used with drills. Since the existing strap winding tools have a shaft that extends from the device to fit a drill, these strap winding tools cannot be used with an impact wrench. This can be disadvantageous to certain users such as truck drivers who commonly carry and use impact wrenches.
Many winch strap users prefer to store away the winch straps when not in use. Removing the winch straps from the spool for separate storage away from exposure to the sun can extend the longevity of the winch strap. However, most of the available winding apparatus on the market that allow removal of the winch strap are manually operated. Manual operation of the apparatus involves the use of both hands while also exposing the operator to dirt and mud which is on the winch strap. In order to address the issue, the present invention also introduces a redesigned spool that can be driven by a powered strap winding tool and which allows users to conveniently remove the winch strap in a rolled configuration for separate “off-winch” storage.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a successful solution to the aforementioned issues. The present invention introduces an apparatus that can receive different power tools in addition to manually driven tools. As a result, the present invention can be conveniently controlled with a power drill, an impact wrench, a socket “speed handle”, or any other comparable device. Moreover, the present invention establishes a firm connection with the receiving hub of the spool or reel. Therefore, user safety is enhanced when utilizing the present invention.